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EV Timing

With the new Xgauge SoC information, I've been playing around with the minimum amount of letting the SoC go before kicking on the ICE. Most of the time, I've waited till the ICE kicked on by the computer at its lower limits, but now I can see the percentage may be better for timing to start the ICE before that time to go EV with a charge again. What I mean is instead of letting the SoC drop in the 40% range and then a restart will drop the SoC an additional 3-5%, I started kicking on the ICE in the lower 41% range. This left a SoC of around 40.6 to 40.8% after a restart. Increasing speed at 1,600-1,800rpm's after a restart to a speed about 5mph above say a 30mph limit to 35mph and using one FS in "L" to return back in EV at 30mph. Kicking on the ICE sooner at slower speeds has improved my MPG in downtown driving where I have a low SoC, but have to stop at almost every block for a stoplight or sign.

In the past, I went EV on the second FS in "L" to go EV, but knew it was best to let the ICE shutdown after one FS if the SoC was high enough. Now, I can control that by having a % readout on the Xgauge. Also, I now know that the ICE will kick on at a higher SoC if the speed is higher. An example is the ICE will restart on average at 40 - 40.6% at 30mph, but it with kick on between 41 - 41.4% at 35mph in EV. This higher speed and higher SoC requires a faster FS in "L" so you don't go EV right away. The higher speed requires you to build a higher SoC to maintain a 35mph limit. If you have a restart and drop the SoC to say 40.8% and increase your speed from 35mph to 40mph to go EV again, you need a SoC of more than 43.5% to carry you at 35mph for a fair distance in EV before the ICE starts again. For this reason you may want to kick on the ICE before the SoC gets to 41 - 41.6% at around 42% SoC or even higher.

The folks with the nav sys had a primitive SoC gauge, but they still had an advantage over those who had nothing. We all can get a Scangauge II with Xgauge capability now and I really recommend it if you want to improve MPG.